Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.

— Netflix’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-E-IGQCsPo">“The Sea Beast”</a>&nbsp;brings a “Moby Dick”-like tale down to kid size. The rollicking ocean adventure, directed by “Big Hero 6” filmmaker Chris Williams, is about an orphan British girl (voiced by Zaris-Angel Hator) who stows away on a ship hunting sea beasts. The veteran animator Williams, who co-directed “Moana,” returns to the high-seas for a swashbuckling tale made with the kind of accomplished animation often only found on the big screen. It debuts Friday.

— The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.criterionchannel.com/">Criterion Channel</a>&nbsp;has a new film series sure to knock you out. “In the Ring: Boxing On-Screen” brings together 16 bobbing-and-weaving movies, from the 1927 Alfred Hitchcock silent “The Ring” to Martin Scorsese’s 1980 masterpiece “Raging Bull.” The series, streaming in July, argues that boxing and cinema grew in tandem, and remain uniquely suited to one another. Two highlights: “The Set-Up,” Robert Wise’s sweaty 1949 noir with Robert Ryan as a washed-up boxer whose manager sets him up to take a dive; and Leon Gast’s 1996 documentary classic “When We Were Kings,” about the Muhammad Ali-George Foreman 1974 bout, the “Rumble in the Jungle.”

— Neil Young isn’t finished opening his vaults. On Friday, he’s releasing the shelved Crazy Horse album "Toast,” a set they recorded in 2001 at Toast Studios in San Francisco. “‘Toast’ is an album that stands on its own in my collection,”&nbsp;<a href="https://neilyoungarchives.com/news/7/article?id=Road-Stories-Toast/">Young wrote last year.</a>&nbsp;“Unlike any other, ‘Toast’ was so sad that I couldn’t put it out. I just skipped it and went on to do another album in its place. I couldn’t handle it at that time.” The seven songs on “Toast” explore a broken relationship. In the last song, “Boom Boom Boom,” Young sings: “All I got is a broken heart, and I don’t try to hide it when I play my guitar.”

— Quick, what was the name of the first album Elton John ever recorded? If you answered “Empty Sky,” close, but wrong. It’s actually “Regimental Sgt. Zippo,” a 12-track album that the then-unknown teenager John — credited as Reg Dwight — recorded in 1968 at age 19 with lyricist Bernie Taupin that was shelved. It had a limited release on Record Store Day in 2021, but now it will be available Friday on LP, CD and streaming. Beatles harmonies, harpsichords and flute-like sounds permeate the album, which The Guardian says has a “naïve, endearing charm” and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN7G6eMVsEo">the title track has a trippy animated video.</a>

— Journey’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMDpx-jcdKA">“Let It Rain”</a>&nbsp;is one of the singles ahead of the band’s next studio album, “Freedom,” set for release Friday, “that brings back the grand scale of the group’s greatest moments, along with updated and bold new directions and sounds,” says the band. It’s their first project of new material since 2011’s “Eclipse.” The new record also features the tracks&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzMstMO4dw0">“You Got the Best of Me”</a>&nbsp;and “The Way We Used to Be.”

— Writer and commentator Baratunde Thurston goes big with a region-by-region trek in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/show/america-outdoors-baratunde-thurston/">“America Outdoors,”</a>&nbsp;debuting Tuesday on PBS. In an effort to understand Americans’ “complicated relationship” with the natural world, the six-part series visits with people including wilderness pilots in Idaho; Appalachian coal miners who have turned to beekeeping; Black surfers in Los Angeles, and an ultramarathoner in California’s Death Valley. Getting in touch with nature and those attuned to it proved to be one of “the best things I could do with my time,” Thurston says.

— In the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjVNZIUw9ek">Hulu comedy “Maggie,”</a>&nbsp;a professional psychic who sees her own future is in for a rough romantic ride. Maggie, played by Rebecca Rittenhouse, gets glimpses of a maybe not-so-happily-ever life after she gives a reading to customer Ben (David Del Rio). Her forecast has them married and parents, but then he moves into her apartment building with a present-day girlfriend. Will love and, more importantly, hilarity ensue? Nichole Sakura, Leonardo Nam and Chris Elliott co-star in the 13-episode series debuting in full on Wednesday.

— Think you’re competitive? The 28 contestants on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbs.com/shows/the-challenge-usa/">“The Challenge: USA”</a>&nbsp;have already proven their mettle — in one fashion or another — on “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race,” “Big Brother” and “Love Island.” Players will face mental and physical contests in the series arriving with a 90-minute episode on Wednesday on CBS (streaming on Paramount+). T.J. Lavin hosts the first network broadcast of MTV’s international reality franchise, with “Survivor” winners Tyson Apostol, Ben Driebergen and Sarah Lacina among those vying for the $500,000 grand prize.

Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.<h2>MOVIES</h2>— Netflix’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-E-IGQCsPo">“The Sea Beast”</a>&nbsp;brings a “Moby Dick”-like tale down to kid size. The rollicking ocean adventure, directed by “Big Hero 6” filmmaker Chris Williams, is about an orphan British girl (voiced by Zaris-Angel Hator) who stows away on a ship hunting sea beasts. The veteran animator Williams, who co-directed “Moana,” returns to the high-seas for a swashbuckling tale made with the kind of accomplished animation often only found on the big screen. It debuts Friday.— The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.criterionchannel.com/">Criterion Channel</a>&nbsp;has a new film series sure to knock you out. “In the Ring: Boxing On-Screen” brings together 16 bobbing-and-weaving movies, from the 1927 Alfred Hitchcock silent “The Ring” to Martin Scorsese’s 1980 masterpiece “Raging Bull.” The series, streaming in July, argues that boxing and cinema grew in tandem, and remain uniquely suited to one another. Two highlights: “The Set-Up,” Robert Wise’s sweaty 1949 noir with Robert Ryan as a washed-up boxer whose manager sets him up to take a dive; and Leon Gast’s 1996 documentary classic “When We Were Kings,” about the Muhammad Ali-George Foreman 1974 bout, the “Rumble in the Jungle.”— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle<h2>MUSIC</h2>— Neil Young isn’t finished opening his vaults. On Friday, he’s releasing the shelved Crazy Horse album "Toast,” a set they recorded in 2001 at Toast Studios in San Francisco. “‘Toast’ is an album that stands on its own in my collection,”&nbsp;<a href="https://neilyoungarchives.com/news/7/article?id=Road-Stories-Toast/">Young wrote last year.</a>&nbsp;“Unlike any other, ‘Toast’ was so sad that I couldn’t put it out. I just skipped it and went on to do another album in its place. I couldn’t handle it at that time.” The seven songs on “Toast” explore a broken relationship. In the last song, “Boom Boom Boom,” Young sings: “All I got is a broken heart, and I don’t try to hide it when I play my guitar.”— Quick, what was the name of the first album Elton John ever recorded? If you answered “Empty Sky,” close, but wrong. It’s actually “Regimental Sgt. Zippo,” a 12-track album that the then-unknown teenager John — credited as Reg Dwight — recorded in 1968 at age 19 with lyricist Bernie Taupin that was shelved. It had a limited release on Record Store Day in 2021, but now it will be available Friday on LP, CD and streaming. Beatles harmonies, harpsichords and flute-like sounds permeate the album, which The Guardian says has a “naïve, endearing charm” and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN7G6eMVsEo">the title track has a trippy animated video.</a>— Journey’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMDpx-jcdKA">“Let It Rain”</a>&nbsp;is one of the singles ahead of the band’s next studio album, “Freedom,” set for release Friday, “that brings back the grand scale of the group’s greatest moments, along with updated and bold new directions and sounds,” says the band. It’s their first project of new material since 2011’s “Eclipse.” The new record also features the tracks&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzMstMO4dw0">“You Got the Best of Me”</a>&nbsp;and “The Way We Used to Be.”— AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy<h2>TELEVISION</h2>— Writer and commentator Baratunde Thurston goes big with a region-by-region trek in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/show/america-outdoors-baratunde-thurston/">“America Outdoors,”</a>&nbsp;debuting Tuesday on PBS. In an effort to understand Americans’ “complicated relationship” with the natural world, the six-part series visits with people including wilderness pilots in Idaho; Appalachian coal miners who have turned to beekeeping; Black surfers in Los Angeles, and an ultramarathoner in California’s Death Valley. Getting in touch with nature and those attuned to it proved to be one of “the best things I could do with my time,” Thurston says.— In the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjVNZIUw9ek">Hulu comedy “Maggie,”</a>&nbsp;a professional psychic who sees her own future is in for a rough romantic ride. Maggie, played by Rebecca Rittenhouse, gets glimpses of a maybe not-so-happily-ever life after she gives a reading to customer Ben (David Del Rio). Her forecast has them married and parents, but then he moves into her apartment building with a present-day girlfriend. Will love and, more importantly, hilarity ensue? Nichole Sakura, Leonardo Nam and Chris Elliott co-star in the 13-episode series debuting in full on Wednesday.— Think you’re competitive? The 28 contestants on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbs.com/shows/the-challenge-usa/">“The Challenge: USA”</a>&nbsp;have already proven their mettle — in one fashion or another — on “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race,” “Big Brother” and “Love Island.” Players will face mental and physical contests in the series arriving with a 90-minute episode on Wednesday on CBS (streaming on Paramount+). T.J. Lavin hosts the first network broadcast of MTV’s international reality franchise, with “Survivor” winners Tyson Apostol, Ben Driebergen and Sarah Lacina among those vying for the $500,000 grand prize.— AP Television Writer Lynn Elber

New this week: 'The Sea Beast,' early Elton John, 'Maggie'

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22TED%20ANTHONY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By TED ANTHONY </a> <a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22TED%20ANTHONY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">AP National Writer</a>

Two generations after its 1966 debut, the universe of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.startrek.com/">“Star Trek”</a>&nbsp;has become a vast and sprawling mural in these heady days of streaming TV.

There’s the dark and bingeworthy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-picard/">“Star Trek: Picard,”</a>&nbsp;a deep character study of an aging and beloved captain confronting his demons — and saving life as we know it twice in two seasons. There’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-prodigy/">“Star Trek: Prodigy,”</a>&nbsp;a rich, 3D-animated story aimed at kids and full of wonder. There’s the more traditionally animated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-lower-decks/">“Star Trek: Lower Decks,”</a>&nbsp;a wacky variation on the theme that unfolds on an also-ran starship and is brimming with fan-service moments.

And smack in the center of the mural sits&nbsp;<a href="https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-discovery/">“Star Trek Discovery,”</a>&nbsp;the epic journey of a Federation starship and its crew across an entire millennium as it saves the galaxy not once (rogue AI!) , not twice (“The Burn!”), but three times (“The Dark Matter Anomaly!”) in four seasons and counting.

Intricate story arcs. Deep serialization. A requirement for sequential viewing and a serious attention span. That’s a lot of commitment, even for a binger. So what’s a planet-of-the-week fan of the original series and its episodic aesthetic to do?

The answer, of course, is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-strange-new-worlds/">“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,”</a>&nbsp;which is chronicling the voyages of the USS Enterprise before Kirk became its captain. Led by Capt. Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), the show is essentially a workplace drama in deep space — the intergalactic equivalent of looking in on a really interesting office and getting various tastes of what exactly it is that everyone does.

“Strange New Worlds,” whose first-season finale “airs” Thursday on Paramount+ in the United States, has been a true errand of mercy for those “Trek” fans who love old-fashioned, self-contained episodes, and want the opportunity to experience a Whitman’s Sampler of sci-fi from week to week.

So far, the show’s peregrinations — one-and-done plots, even as character development reaches across episodes — have been varied and wandering in the most satisfying of ways.

Season One has featured, among other genre journeys, forays into comedy, horror, submarine thriller, contagious-disease drama and full-on medieval fantasy. Each has been suffused with humanism, optimism and the complex moral questions and allegories that made “Star Trek” so relevant in that other period of unrelenting upheaval, the 1960s.

Viewers — not merely longtime fans — are eating it up. The show has a preposterously high&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/star_trek_strange_new_worlds">rating of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes</a>&nbsp;and seems to appeal to both traditionalists and newer acolytes. But why does this iteration of the “Trek” universe hit so rightly at this exact moment? As Spock might say, a number of possibilities present themselves.

First, consider the baseball card and the postage stamp — both fodder for collectors for a century and a half. People love them for many reasons, but they share a key trait: Each, when collected, is an assemblage of variants of an appealing form. And though the form is familiar and generally consistent, inside its borders anything goes.

What’s more, not every specimen has to be earth-shattering (or galaxy-shattering). For every rare 1909&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/88701e51658149be8f1f8bb8bd78896e">Honus Wagner card</a>&nbsp;or 1918&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/019d49d46425496594ca93f81f972e6d">“Inverted Jenny” stamp,</a>&nbsp;there are countless others that are simply small glimpses of the day-to-day — the journeyman infielder, the forever stamp with the flower on it. They’re not world-changers on their own, but each is a sterling example of the breed, and together — when collected — they form a larger tapestry.

When it comes to “Strange New Worlds,” though, the appeal runs even deeper than that. Oddly enough, it’s also about normalcy.

The creator of “Star Trek,” Gene Roddenberry, pitched it originally as&nbsp;<a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WagonTrainToTheStars">“Wagon Train to the Stars,”</a>&nbsp;pushing out onto the (final) frontier. But boiled down, the original series — and “Strange New Worlds,” on a 21st-century level — is a meditation on the workplace.

The coronavirus pandemic has taught us a lot about the workplace — both being in it and not being in it — and about the desire for the normal rhythms of existence. Lots of people are craving routine, day-to-day problems again, while navigating the blurring of barriers between work and home. “Strange New Worlds” is the Trek-verse iteration of all that.

The Enterprise is to “Strange New Worlds” what Grey-Sloan Memorial is to “Grey’s Anatomy” and Dunder Mifflin is to “The Office.” It’s a canvas. And behind all the fantastic allegories that the best of “Trek” has offered are more prosaic ones — ones that evoke our own workplaces and getting along with other departments and meeting cool new colleagues (talkin’ to you,&nbsp;<a href="https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Erica_Ortegas">Erica Ortegas)</a>&nbsp;and, sometimes, dealing with a public that may occasionally seem downright alien.

Members of the Enterprise crew on “Strange New Worlds” are living their lives. They’re doing their jobs, even when their jobs really suck — like when they lose one of their own or are under attack. Like us, they find themselves in different moods from episode to episode, from scene to scene. They’re silly one moment, crisp and efficient the next, emotional the next and then, maybe, silly all over again. It all feels more like the cadence of actual life than one of these deep dives into a single, relentless story arc.

And while nothing is reset at the end of each week — characters evolve, pain endures, progress is made — to begin each episode with a new story feels strangely like an act of optimism. With humanity navigating such huge issues — climate change, guns, racism, abortion, war — why wouldn’t the chance for a narrative fresh start each week be immensely appealing?

Saving life as we know it? Sure, when it's needed. That’s part of what sci-fi is all about. But DEALING with life as we know it? That’s the sweet and timely spot here, too. Aboard this version of the USS Enterprise, each is equally in play. And in these jumbled times, at the intersection of both, “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” is thriving.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22TED%20ANTHONY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By TED ANTHONY </a> <a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22TED%20ANTHONY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">AP National Writer</a>Two generations after its 1966 debut, the universe of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.startrek.com/">“Star Trek”</a>&nbsp;has become a vast and sprawling mural in these heady days of streaming TV.There’s the dark and bingeworthy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-picard/">“Star Trek: Picard,”</a>&nbsp;a deep character study of an aging and beloved captain confronting his demons — and saving life as we know it twice in two seasons. There’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-prodigy/">“Star Trek: Prodigy,”</a>&nbsp;a rich, 3D-animated story aimed at kids and full of wonder. There’s the more traditionally animated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-lower-decks/">“Star Trek: Lower Decks,”</a>&nbsp;a wacky variation on the theme that unfolds on an also-ran starship and is brimming with fan-service moments.And smack in the center of the mural sits&nbsp;<a href="https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-discovery/">“Star Trek Discovery,”</a>&nbsp;the epic journey of a Federation starship and its crew across an entire millennium as it saves the galaxy not once (rogue AI!) , not twice (“The Burn!”), but three times (“The Dark Matter Anomaly!”) in four seasons and counting.Intricate story arcs. Deep serialization. A requirement for sequential viewing and a serious attention span. That’s a lot of commitment, even for a binger. So what’s a planet-of-the-week fan of the original series and its episodic aesthetic to do?The answer, of course, is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-strange-new-worlds/">“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,”</a>&nbsp;which is chronicling the voyages of the USS Enterprise before Kirk became its captain. Led by Capt. Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), the show is essentially a workplace drama in deep space — the intergalactic equivalent of looking in on a really interesting office and getting various tastes of what exactly it is that everyone does.“Strange New Worlds,” whose first-season finale “airs” Thursday on Paramount+ in the United States, has been a true errand of mercy for those “Trek” fans who love old-fashioned, self-contained episodes, and want the opportunity to experience a Whitman’s Sampler of sci-fi from week to week.So far, the show’s peregrinations — one-and-done plots, even as character development reaches across episodes — have been varied and wandering in the most satisfying of ways.Season One has featured, among other genre journeys, forays into comedy, horror, submarine thriller, contagious-disease drama and full-on medieval fantasy. Each has been suffused with humanism, optimism and the complex moral questions and allegories that made “Star Trek” so relevant in that other period of unrelenting upheaval, the 1960s.Viewers — not merely longtime fans — are eating it up. The show has a preposterously high&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/star_trek_strange_new_worlds">rating of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes</a>&nbsp;and seems to appeal to both traditionalists and newer acolytes. But why does this iteration of the “Trek” universe hit so rightly at this exact moment? As Spock might say, a number of possibilities present themselves.First, consider the baseball card and the postage stamp — both fodder for collectors for a century and a half. People love them for many reasons, but they share a key trait: Each, when collected, is an assemblage of variants of an appealing form. And though the form is familiar and generally consistent, inside its borders anything goes.What’s more, not every specimen has to be earth-shattering (or galaxy-shattering). For every rare 1909&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/88701e51658149be8f1f8bb8bd78896e">Honus Wagner card</a>&nbsp;or 1918&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/019d49d46425496594ca93f81f972e6d">“Inverted Jenny” stamp,</a>&nbsp;there are countless others that are simply small glimpses of the day-to-day — the journeyman infielder, the forever stamp with the flower on it. They’re not world-changers on their own, but each is a sterling example of the breed, and together — when collected — they form a larger tapestry.When it comes to “Strange New Worlds,” though, the appeal runs even deeper than that. Oddly enough, it’s also about normalcy.The creator of “Star Trek,” Gene Roddenberry, pitched it originally as&nbsp;<a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WagonTrainToTheStars">“Wagon Train to the Stars,”</a>&nbsp;pushing out onto the (final) frontier. But boiled down, the original series — and “Strange New Worlds,” on a 21st-century level — is a meditation on the workplace.The coronavirus pandemic has taught us a lot about the workplace — both being in it and not being in it — and about the desire for the normal rhythms of existence. Lots of people are craving routine, day-to-day problems again, while navigating the blurring of barriers between work and home. “Strange New Worlds” is the Trek-verse iteration of all that.The Enterprise is to “Strange New Worlds” what Grey-Sloan Memorial is to “Grey’s Anatomy” and Dunder Mifflin is to “The Office.” It’s a canvas. And behind all the fantastic allegories that the best of “Trek” has offered are more prosaic ones — ones that evoke our own workplaces and getting along with other departments and meeting cool new colleagues (talkin’ to you,&nbsp;<a href="https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Erica_Ortegas">Erica Ortegas)</a>&nbsp;and, sometimes, dealing with a public that may occasionally seem downright alien.Members of the Enterprise crew on “Strange New Worlds” are living their lives. They’re doing their jobs, even when their jobs really suck — like when they lose one of their own or are under attack. Like us, they find themselves in different moods from episode to episode, from scene to scene. They’re silly one moment, crisp and efficient the next, emotional the next and then, maybe, silly all over again. It all feels more like the cadence of actual life than one of these deep dives into a single, relentless story arc.And while nothing is reset at the end of each week — characters evolve, pain endures, progress is made — to begin each episode with a new story feels strangely like an act of optimism. With humanity navigating such huge issues — climate change, guns, racism, abortion, war — why wouldn’t the chance for a narrative fresh start each week be immensely appealing?Saving life as we know it? Sure, when it's needed. That’s part of what sci-fi is all about. But DEALING with life as we know it? That’s the sweet and timely spot here, too. Aboard this version of the USS Enterprise, each is equally in play. And in these jumbled times, at the intersection of both, “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” is thriving.

Star Trek’s ‘Strange New Worlds’: In defense of episodic TV

Families went bananas for Minions this weekend at the movie theater. “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-55df07acee61fe4d523924a6b71e7e06">Minions: The Rise of Gru</a>&nbsp;” brought in an estimated $108.5 million in ticket sales from 4,391 screens in North America, Universal Pictures said Sunday. By the end of the Monday’s July Fourth holiday, it will likely have earned over $127.9 million.

The film is on track to become one of the biggest openings ever for a July Fourth holiday weekend, a record previously held by “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” which made $115.9 million in its first four days in 2011. Including international showings, where “Minions: The Rise of Gru" is playing in 61 markets, its worldwide gross is sitting at $202.2 million through Sunday.

“It's a tremendous debut,” said Jim Orr, Universal's president of domestic distribution. “It’s playing very broadly across North America. Every single market doing extraordinarily well.”

This is just the latest in a string of successes for Universal's family releases, including “Sing 2," which has grossed over $406 million since opening in December, and “The Bad Guys,” which has made over $243 million. “Minions: The Rise of Gru” serves as further proof that family audiences are willing to go back to the movie theater.

“Families feel very comfortable bringing all their kids to the theater,” Orr said. “These results speak for themselves.”

“Minions 2” attracted all ages to the theater, even the very young. According to PostTrak surveys, 12% were under the age of 10.

“For many months there was this idea that family audiences were not going to come back to the theater. We can put that to rest,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore.

The spinoff of the popular “Despicable Me” series was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/summer-2022-movies-minions-despicable-me-e8040ee111ce5a24fab25b2e4667432d">delayed two years</a>&nbsp;because of the pandemic. The sequel to the 2015 film “Minions” was originally slated for a July 2020 release. While many other animated family films opted for streaming or hybrid releases, “Minions,” much like “Top Gun: Maverick,” stayed the course and waited for an ideal time to launch in theaters only. And as with “Top Gun” the wait, it seems, was worth it.

“This became an event. It was a holiday weekend, the release date was perfect, the marketing was spot on,” Dergarabedian said. “And everyone knew this was going to be in theaters only.”

The voice cast features Steve Carell, reprising his role as Gru, Alan Arkin, Michelle Yeoh and Julie Andrews as Gru’s mother. Critics were mixed to positive (it currently has a 72% on Rotten Tomatoes) but audiences were more enthusiastic, giving the Gru origin story an A CinemaScore.

Universal and Illumination have had enormous success with the five “Despicable Me” movies and spinoffs, which date back to 2010 and have earned over $3.7 billion at the global box office.

In second place was “Top Gun: Maverick,” which continues to deliver six weeks in, adding another $25.5 million to its total, which has already surpassed $1 billion. The Paramount Pictures film is still playing in 3,843 locations.

Warner Bros.' “Elvis” took third place, down only 39% in its second weekend in theaters. The Baz Luhrmann film grossed an estimated $19 million through Sunday, bringing its domestic total to $67.3 million.

Fourth and fifth place went to Universal titles as well with “Jurassic World: Dominion" picking up another $15.7 million and the horror movie “The Black Phone” adding $12.3 million through Sunday.

Disney's “Lightyear," meanwhile, tumbled further in its third weekend with an estimated $6.5 million. By Monday, that total should raise to $8.1 million bringing its cumulative earnings to $106.9 million.

Bleecker Street released “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-847263587380422ab5fdfc5009f5a85f">Mr. Malcolm's List</a>&nbsp;” this weekend on 1,384 screens in the U.S. and Canada. The Regency-era comedy of manners stars&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-jane-austen-aaee75ac487e7ed13b29075497f2b4b2">Freida Pinto and Zawe Ashton</a>&nbsp;as friends looking to get back at a picky bachelor. The studio estimates that the film will have $851,853 by end of Sunday and over $1 million by end of Monday.

Audiences are also still catching up with A24’s “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” which added an estimated $552,000 from 607 screens, in spite of the fact that it’s also available to rent on demand. The studio’s newer title, “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” expanded to 22 screens this weekend and is expected to earn about $308,000 by the end of Monday.

According to Comscore, the weekend as a whole will go down as one of the biggest of the pandemic era. And the momentum is expected to continue with the release of Marvel's “Thor: Love and Thunder” next week.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Tuesday.

1. “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” $108.5 million.

2. “Top Gun: Maverick,” $25.5 million.

4. “Jurassic World: Dominion,” $15.7 million.

8. “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” $551,974.

9. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” $390,000.

Families went bananas for Minions this weekend at the movie theater. “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-55df07acee61fe4d523924a6b71e7e06">Minions: The Rise of Gru</a>&nbsp;” brought in an estimated $108.5 million in ticket sales from 4,391 screens in North America, Universal Pictures said Sunday. By the end of the Monday’s July Fourth holiday, it will likely have earned over $127.9 million.The film is on track to become one of the biggest openings ever for a July Fourth holiday weekend, a record previously held by “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” which made $115.9 million in its first four days in 2011. Including international showings, where “Minions: The Rise of Gru" is playing in 61 markets, its worldwide gross is sitting at $202.2 million through Sunday.“It's a tremendous debut,” said Jim Orr, Universal's president of domestic distribution. “It’s playing very broadly across North America. Every single market doing extraordinarily well.”This is just the latest in a string of successes for Universal's family releases, including “Sing 2," which has grossed over $406 million since opening in December, and “The Bad Guys,” which has made over $243 million. “Minions: The Rise of Gru” serves as further proof that family audiences are willing to go back to the movie theater.“Families feel very comfortable bringing all their kids to the theater,” Orr said. “These results speak for themselves.”“Minions 2” attracted all ages to the theater, even the very young. According to PostTrak surveys, 12% were under the age of 10.“For many months there was this idea that family audiences were not going to come back to the theater. We can put that to rest,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore.The spinoff of the popular “Despicable Me” series was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/summer-2022-movies-minions-despicable-me-e8040ee111ce5a24fab25b2e4667432d">delayed two years</a>&nbsp;because of the pandemic. The sequel to the 2015 film “Minions” was originally slated for a July 2020 release. While many other animated family films opted for streaming or hybrid releases, “Minions,” much like “Top Gun: Maverick,” stayed the course and waited for an ideal time to launch in theaters only. And as with “Top Gun” the wait, it seems, was worth it.“This became an event. It was a holiday weekend, the release date was perfect, the marketing was spot on,” Dergarabedian said. “And everyone knew this was going to be in theaters only.”The voice cast features Steve Carell, reprising his role as Gru, Alan Arkin, Michelle Yeoh and Julie Andrews as Gru’s mother. Critics were mixed to positive (it currently has a 72% on Rotten Tomatoes) but audiences were more enthusiastic, giving the Gru origin story an A CinemaScore.Universal and Illumination have had enormous success with the five “Despicable Me” movies and spinoffs, which date back to 2010 and have earned over $3.7 billion at the global box office.In second place was “Top Gun: Maverick,” which continues to deliver six weeks in, adding another $25.5 million to its total, which has already surpassed $1 billion. The Paramount Pictures film is still playing in 3,843 locations.Warner Bros.' “Elvis” took third place, down only 39% in its second weekend in theaters. The Baz Luhrmann film grossed an estimated $19 million through Sunday, bringing its domestic total to $67.3 million.Fourth and fifth place went to Universal titles as well with “Jurassic World: Dominion" picking up another $15.7 million and the horror movie “The Black Phone” adding $12.3 million through Sunday.Disney's “Lightyear," meanwhile, tumbled further in its third weekend with an estimated $6.5 million. By Monday, that total should raise to $8.1 million bringing its cumulative earnings to $106.9 million.Bleecker Street released “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-847263587380422ab5fdfc5009f5a85f">Mr. Malcolm's List</a>&nbsp;” this weekend on 1,384 screens in the U.S. and Canada. The Regency-era comedy of manners stars&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-jane-austen-aaee75ac487e7ed13b29075497f2b4b2">Freida Pinto and Zawe Ashton</a>&nbsp;as friends looking to get back at a picky bachelor. The studio estimates that the film will have $851,853 by end of Sunday and over $1 million by end of Monday.Audiences are also still catching up with A24’s “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” which added an estimated $552,000 from 607 screens, in spite of the fact that it’s also available to rent on demand. The studio’s newer title, “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” expanded to 22 screens this weekend and is expected to earn about $308,000 by the end of Monday.According to Comscore, the weekend as a whole will go down as one of the biggest of the pandemic era. And the momentum is expected to continue with the release of Marvel's “Thor: Love and Thunder” next week.Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Tuesday.1. “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” $108.5 million.2. “Top Gun: Maverick,” $25.5 million.3. “Elvis,” $19 million.4. “Jurassic World: Dominion,” $15.7 million.5. “The Black Phone,” $12.3 million.6. “Lightyear,” $6.6 million.7. “Mr. Malcolm’s List, $851,853.8. “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” $551,974.9. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” $390,000.10. “JugJugg Jeeyo,” $318,000.

‘Minions’ set box office on fire with $108.5 million debut

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will present the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to 17 people, including actor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-ap-top-news-north-america-celebrities-denzel-washington-838c2e799e9a4016994658913b1c9e68">Denzel Washington</a>, gymnast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2020-tokyo-olympics-gymnastics-sports-college-sports-health-9169b6c48f8fd14ac130bc6504ce37b5">Simone Biles</a>&nbsp;and the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eb2275d97afe4b4fa1a1e8b18ecf38ae">John McCain,</a>&nbsp;the Arizona Republican with whom Biden served in the U.S. Senate.

Biden will also recognize&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-new-york-city-health-andrew-cuomo-coronavirus-pandemic-568cac33020b6c9b26971174ab511c48">Sandra Lindsay</a>, the New York City nurse who rolled up her sleeve on live television in December 2020 to receive the first COVID-19 vaccine dose that was pumped into an arm in the United States, the White House announced Friday.

Biden’s honors list, which the White House shared first with The Associated Press, includes both living and deceased honorees from the worlds of Hollywood, sports, politics, the military, academia, and civil rights and social justice advocacy.

The Democratic president will present the medals at the White House next week.

Biden himself is a medal recipient.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/22492a519ffe4a52b19004c3e084d931">President Barack Obama honored Biden’s public service</a>&nbsp;as a longtime U.S. senator and vice president by awarding him a Presidential Medal of Freedom in January 2017, a week before they left office.

The honorees who'll receive medals from Biden “have overcome significant obstacles to achieve impressive accomplishments in the arts and sciences, dedicated their lives to advocating for the most vulnerable among us, and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities, and across the world, while blazing trails for generations to come," the White House said.

The honor is reserved for people who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace or other significant societal public or private endeavors, the White House said.

Biles is the most decorated U.S. gymnast in history, winning 32 Olympic and World Championship medals. She is an outspoken advocate on issues that are very personal to her, including athletes’ mental health, children in foster care and sexual assault victims.

Lindsay became an advocate for COVID-19 vaccinations after receiving the first dose in the U.S. outside of clinical trials.

McCain, who died of brain cancer in 2018, spent more than five years in captivity in Vietnam while serving in the U.S. Navy. He later represented Arizona in both houses of Congress and was the Republican presidential nominee in 2008. Biden said McCain was a “dear friend” and "a hero.”

Washington is a double Oscar-winning actor, director and producer. He also has a Tony award, two Golden Globes and the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a longtime spokesperson for the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of America.

— Sister Simone Campbell. Campbell is a member of the Sister of Social Service and a former executive director of NETWORK, a Catholic social justice organization. She is an advocate for economic justice, overhauling the U.S. immigration system and health care policy.

— Julieta Garcia. A former president of the University of Texas at Brownsville, Garcia was the first Latina to become a college president, the White House said. She was named one of the nation’s best college presidents by Time magazine.

—&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-politics-entertainment-shootings-arizona-3b290d8596a2fa3211b62866771690a6">Gabrielle Giffords</a>. A former U.S. House member from Arizona, the Democrat founded Giffords, an organization dedicated to ending gun violence. She was shot in the head in January 2011 during a constituent event in Tucson and was gravely wounded.

— Fred Gray. Gray was one of the first Black members of the Alabama Legislature after Reconstruction. He was a prominent civil rights attorney who represented Rosa Parks, the NAACP and Martin Luther King Jr.

— Steve Jobs. Jobs was the co-founder, chief executive and chair of Apple Inc. He died in 2011.

— Father Alexander Karloutsos. Karloutsos is the assistant to Archbishop Demetrios of America. The White House said Karloutsos has counseled several U.S. presidents.

—&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d16afa8906d04f75a217d8c68f872544">Khizr Khan</a>. An immigrant from Pakistan, Khan's Army officer son was killed in Iraq. Khan gained national prominence, and became a target of Donald Trump's wrath, after speaking at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

— Diane Nash. A founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Nash organized some of the most important 20th century civil rights campaigns and worked with King.

—&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/megan-rapinoe">Megan Rapinoe</a>. The Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women's World Cup soccer champion captains the OL Reign in the National Women's Soccer League. She is a prominent advocate for gender pay equality, racial justice and LGBTQI+ rights who has appeared at Biden's White House.

Rapinoe, who was at training camp in Denver when the White House called to inform her of the honor, thought she was getting a prank or robocall when she saw her phone say “White House,” U.S. Soccer said in a statement. She showed her phone to a teammate, who encouraged her to answer the call.

— Alan Simpson. The retired U.S. senator from Wyoming served with Biden and has been a prominent advocate for campaign finance reform, responsible governance and marriage equality.

— Richard Trumka. Trumka had been president of the 12.5 million-member AFL-CIO for more than a decade at the time of his August 2021 death. He was a past president of the United Mine Workers.

— Wilma Vaught. A brigadier general, Vaught is one of the most decorated women in U.S. military history, breaking gender barriers as she has risen through the ranks. When Vaught retired in 1985, she was one of only seven female generals in the Armed Forces.

— Raúl Yzaguirre. A civil rights advocate, Yzaguirre was president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza for 30 years. He served as U.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic under Obama.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will present the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to 17 people, including actor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-ap-top-news-north-america-celebrities-denzel-washington-838c2e799e9a4016994658913b1c9e68">Denzel Washington</a>, gymnast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2020-tokyo-olympics-gymnastics-sports-college-sports-health-9169b6c48f8fd14ac130bc6504ce37b5">Simone Biles</a>&nbsp;and the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eb2275d97afe4b4fa1a1e8b18ecf38ae">John McCain,</a>&nbsp;the Arizona Republican with whom Biden served in the U.S. Senate.Biden will also recognize&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-new-york-city-health-andrew-cuomo-coronavirus-pandemic-568cac33020b6c9b26971174ab511c48">Sandra Lindsay</a>, the New York City nurse who rolled up her sleeve on live television in December 2020 to receive the first COVID-19 vaccine dose that was pumped into an arm in the United States, the White House announced Friday.Biden’s honors list, which the White House shared first with The Associated Press, includes both living and deceased honorees from the worlds of Hollywood, sports, politics, the military, academia, and civil rights and social justice advocacy.The Democratic president will present the medals at the White House next week.Biden himself is a medal recipient.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/22492a519ffe4a52b19004c3e084d931">President Barack Obama honored Biden’s public service</a>&nbsp;as a longtime U.S. senator and vice president by awarding him a Presidential Medal of Freedom in January 2017, a week before they left office.The honorees who'll receive medals from Biden “have overcome significant obstacles to achieve impressive accomplishments in the arts and sciences, dedicated their lives to advocating for the most vulnerable among us, and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities, and across the world, while blazing trails for generations to come," the White House said.The honor is reserved for people who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace or other significant societal public or private endeavors, the White House said.Biles is the most decorated U.S. gymnast in history, winning 32 Olympic and World Championship medals. She is an outspoken advocate on issues that are very personal to her, including athletes’ mental health, children in foster care and sexual assault victims.Lindsay became an advocate for COVID-19 vaccinations after receiving the first dose in the U.S. outside of clinical trials.McCain, who died of brain cancer in 2018, spent more than five years in captivity in Vietnam while serving in the U.S. Navy. He later represented Arizona in both houses of Congress and was the Republican presidential nominee in 2008. Biden said McCain was a “dear friend” and "a hero.”Washington is a double Oscar-winning actor, director and producer. He also has a Tony award, two Golden Globes and the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a longtime spokesperson for the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of America.The other 13 medal recipients are:— Sister Simone Campbell. Campbell is a member of the Sister of Social Service and a former executive director of NETWORK, a Catholic social justice organization. She is an advocate for economic justice, overhauling the U.S. immigration system and health care policy.— Julieta Garcia. A former president of the University of Texas at Brownsville, Garcia was the first Latina to become a college president, the White House said. She was named one of the nation’s best college presidents by Time magazine.—&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-politics-entertainment-shootings-arizona-3b290d8596a2fa3211b62866771690a6">Gabrielle Giffords</a>. A former U.S. House member from Arizona, the Democrat founded Giffords, an organization dedicated to ending gun violence. She was shot in the head in January 2011 during a constituent event in Tucson and was gravely wounded.— Fred Gray. Gray was one of the first Black members of the Alabama Legislature after Reconstruction. He was a prominent civil rights attorney who represented Rosa Parks, the NAACP and Martin Luther King Jr.— Steve Jobs. Jobs was the co-founder, chief executive and chair of Apple Inc. He died in 2011.— Father Alexander Karloutsos. Karloutsos is the assistant to Archbishop Demetrios of America. The White House said Karloutsos has counseled several U.S. presidents.—&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d16afa8906d04f75a217d8c68f872544">Khizr Khan</a>. An immigrant from Pakistan, Khan's Army officer son was killed in Iraq. Khan gained national prominence, and became a target of Donald Trump's wrath, after speaking at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.— Diane Nash. A founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Nash organized some of the most important 20th century civil rights campaigns and worked with King.—&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/megan-rapinoe">Megan Rapinoe</a>. The Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women's World Cup soccer champion captains the OL Reign in the National Women's Soccer League. She is a prominent advocate for gender pay equality, racial justice and LGBTQI+ rights who has appeared at Biden's White House.Rapinoe, who was at training camp in Denver when the White House called to inform her of the honor, thought she was getting a prank or robocall when she saw her phone say “White House,” U.S. Soccer said in a statement. She showed her phone to a teammate, who encouraged her to answer the call.— Alan Simpson. The retired U.S. senator from Wyoming served with Biden and has been a prominent advocate for campaign finance reform, responsible governance and marriage equality.— Richard Trumka. Trumka had been president of the 12.5 million-member AFL-CIO for more than a decade at the time of his August 2021 death. He was a past president of the United Mine Workers.— Wilma Vaught. A brigadier general, Vaught is one of the most decorated women in U.S. military history, breaking gender barriers as she has risen through the ranks. When Vaught retired in 1985, she was one of only seven female generals in the Armed Forces.— Raúl Yzaguirre. A civil rights advocate, Yzaguirre was president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza for 30 years. He served as U.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic under Obama.

Biden to award Medal of Freedom to Biles, McCain, Giffords

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin on Sunday denied allegations that led to a restraining order against him, with police noting that he has not been charged with any crime.

Police said Saturday that a judge had issued the order against Martin, but authorities trying to serve the order were unable to find the singer in the Puerto Rican town of Dorado, where he lives. The order was filed under Puerto Rico’s domestic violence law and police spokesman Axel Valencia said he could not provide further details, including who requested the order.

Martin said in a tweet that the order is based on “completely false” allegations and that he will face the process “with the responsibility that characterizes me.”

“I appreciate the innumerable gestures of solidarity and I receive them with all my heart,” he wrote.

He said that since it was an open legal issue, he could not comment further.

Representatives for Martin earlier issued a statement and described the allegations as “completely false and fabricated." It did not name the representatives.

“We are very confident that when the true facts come out in this matter our client Ricky Martin will be fully vindicated,” they said in a statement shared with The Associated Press.

El Vocero, a Puerto Rico newspaper, said the order states that Martin and the other person dated for seven months. The report quotes the order as saying they broke up two months ago, but the petitioner says Martin did not accept the separation and has been seen loitering near the petitioner’s house at least three times.

“The petitioner fears for his safety,” El Vocero quoted the order as saying.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin on Sunday denied allegations that led to a restraining order against him, with police noting that he has not been charged with any crime.Police said Saturday that a judge had issued the order against Martin, but authorities trying to serve the order were unable to find the singer in the Puerto Rican town of Dorado, where he lives. The order was filed under Puerto Rico’s domestic violence law and police spokesman Axel Valencia said he could not provide further details, including who requested the order.Martin said in a tweet that the order is based on “completely false” allegations and that he will face the process “with the responsibility that characterizes me.”“I appreciate the innumerable gestures of solidarity and I receive them with all my heart,” he wrote.He said that since it was an open legal issue, he could not comment further.Representatives for Martin earlier issued a statement and described the allegations as “completely false and fabricated." It did not name the representatives.“We are very confident that when the true facts come out in this matter our client Ricky Martin will be fully vindicated,” they said in a statement shared with The Associated Press.El Vocero, a Puerto Rico newspaper, said the order states that Martin and the other person dated for seven months. The report quotes the order as saying they broke up two months ago, but the petitioner says Martin did not accept the separation and has been seen loitering near the petitioner’s house at least three times.“The petitioner fears for his safety,” El Vocero quoted the order as saying.AP has not obtained a copy of the order.

Ricky Martin denies restraining order allegations

NEW YORK (AP) — Frankfurter-munching phenom Joey “Jaws” Chestnut put a protester in a chokehold while gobbling his way to a 15th win Monday at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, powering down 63 hot dogs and buns at the annual exhibition of excess.

In a decisive chowdown comeback, women's record-holder Miki Sudo downed 40 wieners and buns to win the women's title after skipping last year's frank fest because she was pregnant.

A spectator wearing a Darth Vader mask rushed the stage, momentarily disrupting the competition. Chestnut put the protester in a brief chokehold before contest officials hurried over and escorted the intruder away.

Another protester in a white stormtrooper mask had also snuck behind the competitors and hoisted a sign saying, “Expose Smithfield's Deathstar.” Smithfield manufactures Nathan's famous hotdogs.

After the altercation, Chestnut went back to the task at hand: Devouring more hot dogs.

Monday marked the contest's return to its traditional location outside Nathan’s flagship shop in Brooklyn’s Coney Island neighborhood. The event was relocated in 2020 and last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s beautiful to be back here” in front of a throng of spectators, Chestnut told ESPN after his feat, which the 38-year-old managed while wearing a surgical boot because of a leg injury.

“It hurts, but I was in the zone for a little bit. I was ignoring it,” said Chestnut, but the pain eventually slowed his pace in the 10-minute competition.

Last year, the Westfield, Indiana, resident&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joey-chestnut-michelle-lesco-nathans-famous-c992ddcd43833c92ad63291e9b483662">topped his own record</a>&nbsp;by consuming 76 franks and buns.

Sudo, of Tampa, Florida,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miki-sudo-joey-chestnut-us-news-ap-top-news-sports-general-32f34722d07e6bd29ded9affe2855fe4">set the women’s record</a>&nbsp;at 48 1/2 weiners and buns in 2020, before taking last year off while expecting. She and Nick Wehry — a fellow competitive eater whom she met through the Nathan’s contest in 2018 — welcomed son Max on July 8, 2021.

From dad's arms, the baby watched his 36-year-old mother notch her eighth Nathan's win. She told ESPN afterward that she hoped he would someday take a message away from it.

“I want to set an example,” she said, “to do things that you love and push yourself to your absolute limits and, when things get difficult, to still give it a try. And, you know, you might actually just come out victorious.”

Sudo then took over parenting duties while Wehry tried for the men's title.

In conjunction with the spectacle, Nathan’s donates 100,000 franks to the Food Bank for New York City.

NEW YORK (AP) — Frankfurter-munching phenom Joey “Jaws” Chestnut put a protester in a chokehold while gobbling his way to a 15th win Monday at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, powering down 63 hot dogs and buns at the annual exhibition of excess.In a decisive chowdown comeback, women's record-holder Miki Sudo downed 40 wieners and buns to win the women's title after skipping last year's frank fest because she was pregnant.A spectator wearing a Darth Vader mask rushed the stage, momentarily disrupting the competition. Chestnut put the protester in a brief chokehold before contest officials hurried over and escorted the intruder away.Another protester in a white stormtrooper mask had also snuck behind the competitors and hoisted a sign saying, “Expose Smithfield's Deathstar.” Smithfield manufactures Nathan's famous hotdogs.After the altercation, Chestnut went back to the task at hand: Devouring more hot dogs.Monday marked the contest's return to its traditional location outside Nathan’s flagship shop in Brooklyn’s Coney Island neighborhood. The event was relocated in 2020 and last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.“It’s beautiful to be back here” in front of a throng of spectators, Chestnut told ESPN after his feat, which the 38-year-old managed while wearing a surgical boot because of a leg injury.“It hurts, but I was in the zone for a little bit. I was ignoring it,” said Chestnut, but the pain eventually slowed his pace in the 10-minute competition.Last year, the Westfield, Indiana, resident&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joey-chestnut-michelle-lesco-nathans-famous-c992ddcd43833c92ad63291e9b483662">topped his own record</a>&nbsp;by consuming 76 franks and buns.Sudo, of Tampa, Florida,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miki-sudo-joey-chestnut-us-news-ap-top-news-sports-general-32f34722d07e6bd29ded9affe2855fe4">set the women’s record</a>&nbsp;at 48 1/2 weiners and buns in 2020, before taking last year off while expecting. She and Nick Wehry — a fellow competitive eater whom she met through the Nathan’s contest in 2018 — welcomed son Max on July 8, 2021.From dad's arms, the baby watched his 36-year-old mother notch her eighth Nathan's win. She told ESPN afterward that she hoped he would someday take a message away from it.“I want to set an example,” she said, “to do things that you love and push yourself to your absolute limits and, when things get difficult, to still give it a try. And, you know, you might actually just come out victorious.”Sudo then took over parenting duties while Wehry tried for the men's title.In conjunction with the spectacle, Nathan’s donates 100,000 franks to the Food Bank for New York City.

Joey Chestnut is chomp champ again in July 4 hot dog contest

NEW YORK (AP) — James Burrows loves sitcoms, and he should. 

He’s directed more than 1,000 episodes of TV sitcoms, including TV favorites such as “Friends”, “Cheers”, Will &amp; Grace”, and the pilot episodes for “Frasier”, “Two and a Half Men”, “The Big Bang Theory,” and more, which sets the tone for the series going forward. 

He has written a new book called “Directed by James Burrows” which details his experience working on many of the TV series that audiences know and love, including anecdotes and even career tactics for budding directors. “Directed by James Burrows” is out now.

NEW YORK (AP) — James Burrows loves sitcoms, and he should. He’s directed more than 1,000 episodes of TV sitcoms, including TV favorites such as “Friends”, “Cheers”, Will &amp; Grace”, and the pilot episodes for “Frasier”, “Two and a Half Men”, “The Big Bang Theory,” and more, which sets the tone for the series going forward. He has written a new book called “Directed by James Burrows” which details his experience working on many of the TV series that audiences know and love, including anecdotes and even career tactics for budding directors. “Directed by James Burrows” is out now.

Director James Burrows looks back on his career in new book

NEW YORK (AP) — The author of “Nomadland,” the basis for the Oscar-winning movie of the same name, is working on a book about abortion. 

Jessica Bruder will expand upon the reporting for her May cover story in The Atlantic, “The Abortion Underground: Inside the Covert Network Preparing for a Post-Roe Future.” W.W. &amp; Norton &amp; Company says the new book is currently untitled and does not yet have a release date.

 Bruder’s “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century,” about transient older Americans, was published in 2017 and adapted into the acclaimed 2020 film starring Frances McDormand.

NEW YORK (AP) — The author of “Nomadland,” the basis for the Oscar-winning movie of the same name, is working on a book about abortion. Jessica Bruder will expand upon the reporting for her May cover story in The Atlantic, “The Abortion Underground: Inside the Covert Network Preparing for a Post-Roe Future.” W.W. &amp; Norton &amp; Company says the new book is currently untitled and does not yet have a release date. Bruder’s “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century,” about transient older Americans, was published in 2017 and adapted into the acclaimed 2020 film starring Frances McDormand.

'Nomadland' author Jessica Bruder works on abortion book

NEW YORK (AP) — After more than six decades of making bicycles soar, sending swimmers panicking and other spellbinding close encounters, John Williams is putting the final notes on what may be his last film score. 

In an interview with The Associated Press, Williams says the fifth “Indiana Jones” film will probably be his last film. 

The 90-year-old composer is instead devoting most of his time to writing concert pieces, including a piano concerto. 

Still, Williams says he doesn't want to “categorically eliminate any activity" — even biking. 

The Kennedy Center and Tanglewood are planning celebrations this summer in honor of Williams' 90th birthday.

NEW YORK (AP) — After more than six decades of making bicycles soar, sending swimmers panicking and other spellbinding close encounters, John Williams is putting the final notes on what may be his last film score. In an interview with The Associated Press, Williams says the fifth “Indiana Jones” film will probably be his last film. The 90-year-old composer is instead devoting most of his time to writing concert pieces, including a piano concerto. Still, Williams says he doesn't want to “categorically eliminate any activity" — even biking. The Kennedy Center and Tanglewood are planning celebrations this summer in honor of Williams' 90th birthday.

John Williams, 90, steps away from film, but not music

NEW YORK (AP) — How does Rick Astley handle one of his songs being part of the biggest internet meme of all time? 

He rolls with it, obviously. He says he's “ever so grateful for it.” 

”Never Gonna Give You Up" turns 35 this year and is still very much alive, buoyed by a second chapter as a gentle joke wherein someone baits you with an enticing online link, which points instead to the video for this 1987 dance-pop smash.

 Thirty-five years later, Astley is still singing it, this summer on tour with New Kids on the Block, Salt-N-Pepa, and En Vogue for the 57-date “The Mixtape Tour 2022.”

NEW YORK (AP) — How does Rick Astley handle one of his songs being part of the biggest internet meme of all time? He rolls with it, obviously. He says he's “ever so grateful for it.” ”Never Gonna Give You Up" turns 35 this year and is still very much alive, buoyed by a second chapter as a gentle joke wherein someone baits you with an enticing online link, which points instead to the video for this 1987 dance-pop smash. Thirty-five years later, Astley is still singing it, this summer on tour with New Kids on the Block, Salt-N-Pepa, and En Vogue for the 57-date “The Mixtape Tour 2022.”

Rick Astley revisits his career-making song with 'gratitude'

For two years, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords allowed a film crew to shadow her and husband Sen. Mark Kelly. 

The result is a film titled “Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down." 

An intimate look at Giffords’ recovery after the 2011 shooting that changed her life. 

But it's also an insider view of how the couple navigated gun control campaigns and a Senate campaign during a pandemic. 

The movie could not be any timelier on the heels of the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting. 

Gun reform debates have been raging in government, schools and the U.S. Supreme Court. 

The documentary is from the same team behind Academy Award-nominated Ruth Bader Ginsburg documentary “RBG." 

The Giffords film arrives in theaters July 15.

For two years, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords allowed a film crew to shadow her and husband Sen. Mark Kelly. The result is a film titled “Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down." An intimate look at Giffords’ recovery after the 2011 shooting that changed her life. But it's also an insider view of how the couple navigated gun control campaigns and a Senate campaign during a pandemic. The movie could not be any timelier on the heels of the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting. Gun reform debates have been raging in government, schools and the U.S. Supreme Court. The documentary is from the same team behind Academy Award-nominated Ruth Bader Ginsburg documentary “RBG." The Giffords film arrives in theaters July 15.

Giffords documentary comes as gun debates stay center stage

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

Summer has arrived and that means the Barton County Fair Board is ramping up for this year's fair which will run from July 6-11. This year's fair will feature some popular musical acts and a variety of new events.

"We're trying to get things together," said Barton County Fair Board President Charles Atkinson. "We're posting everything online. We've still got some things we're planning on doing that we're working on real hard to get things together, getting all our volunteers and vendors lined up. We just kind of making all the pre-fair things happen so we can put on a good fair this year."

The fair begins with 4-H exhibit check-ins on the morning of July 6. Action really kicks off Thursday, July 7 with Christian band Stars go Dim performing on the Farmers Bank &amp; Trust Stage.

"That's a great Christian group that's played all over the radio," Atkinson said. "That's a free concert so we're excited to have them come in."

Friday's country concert will feature Tate Sevens with special guest Jadynce Schroeder. The big rock n' roll show Saturday night will feature a pair of tribute bands with Silver Bullet playing Bob Seger music, and Hells Bells closing out the night with AC/DC songs.

"(Hells Bells has been) here before and we had a really good time with them," said Atkinson. "On our country side, we have Tate Stephens coming in. He won the X Factor the first year, so he's got some music out there that's really good. We have a local talent Jaydence Schroeder who's coming in to open for him. We're really excited about bringing our local talent in to help us out."

This year's fair will not include a carnival as that remains a year-to-year issue, but the five days of fun will include many new events. Visit bartoncountyfair.com for a full schedule, and watch greatbendpost.com for more stories about this year's fair.

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostSummer has arrived and that means the Barton County Fair Board is ramping up for this year's fair which will run from July 6-11. This year's fair will feature some popular musical acts and a variety of new events."We're trying to get things together," said Barton County Fair Board President Charles Atkinson. "We're posting everything online. We've still got some things we're planning on doing that we're working on real hard to get things together, getting all our volunteers and vendors lined up. We just kind of making all the pre-fair things happen so we can put on a good fair this year."The fair begins with 4-H exhibit check-ins on the morning of July 6. Action really kicks off Thursday, July 7 with Christian band Stars go Dim performing on the Farmers Bank &amp; Trust Stage."That's a great Christian group that's played all over the radio," Atkinson said. "That's a free concert so we're excited to have them come in."Friday's country concert will feature Tate Sevens with special guest Jadynce Schroeder. The big rock n' roll show Saturday night will feature a pair of tribute bands with Silver Bullet playing Bob Seger music, and Hells Bells closing out the night with AC/DC songs."(Hells Bells has been) here before and we had a really good time with them," said Atkinson. "On our country side, we have Tate Stephens coming in. He won the X Factor the first year, so he's got some music out there that's really good. We have a local talent Jaydence Schroeder who's coming in to open for him. We're really excited about bringing our local talent in to help us out."This year's fair will not include a carnival as that remains a year-to-year issue, but the five days of fun will include many new events. Visit bartoncountyfair.com for a full schedule, and watch greatbendpost.com for more stories about this year's fair.

Hear the Sounds: Barton County Fair set to kick off July 6

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

The City of Great Bend is a participant in the Great Kansas Fishing Derby, and there are still prizes remaining for those that catch a fish at Veterans Lake.&nbsp; The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has 500 specially tagged fish in public waterbodies across the state. Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes said if anglers catch a tagged fish they should return the tag to City Hall. "The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is working with the city," said Hayes. "We've only given away three prizes and there are 15 total. If you catch one of the prize fish, you can turn in your tag number and win a prize." Fishermen can win concert tickets, gift cards, fishing tackle, cabin stays and cash. Every angler who catches and redeems a valid derby tag will be entered into a drawing to win a lifetime hunting and fishing license.

By COLE REIF Great Bend PostThe City of Great Bend is a participant in the Great Kansas Fishing Derby, and there are still prizes remaining for those that catch a fish at Veterans Lake.&nbsp; The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has 500 specially tagged fish in public waterbodies across the state. Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes said if anglers catch a tagged fish they should return the tag to City Hall. "The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is working with the city," said Hayes. "We've only given away three prizes and there are 15 total. If you catch one of the prize fish, you can turn in your tag number and win a prize." Fishermen can win concert tickets, gift cards, fishing tackle, cabin stays and cash. Every angler who catches and redeems a valid derby tag will be entered into a drawing to win a lifetime hunting and fishing license.

Prizes remain for catching tagged fish at Great Bend lake

The Tony® Award-winning musical Million Dollar Quartet is coming to Salina's Stiefel Theatre.

The performance is scheduled for 8 p.m. Sept. 9 in the Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe Avenue.

Tickets start at $35 and go on sale at noon Friday. Buy online at www.stiefeltheatre.org, by visiting the Stiefel box office or by calling the Stiefel at 785-827-1998. The Stiefel box office is open for phone or walk-up sales from noon-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Information about the musical courtesy the Stiefel Theatre

On Dec. 4, 1956, an auspicious twist of fate brought together four young musicians – Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley. Sam Phillips, the undisputed Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll who was responsible for launching the careers of each of these icons, gathered the four legendary singer/songwriters at the Sun Records studio in Memphis for the first and only time. The result? One of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll jam sessions in history. 

Million Dollar Quartet brings that unbelievable musical moment to life with an irresistible tale of broken promises, secrets, betrayal, humor, celebration, unforgettable performances of such timeless and enduring hits as Blue Suede Shoes, Fever, That’s All Right, Sixteen Tons, I Walk the Line, Great Balls of Fire, Folsom Prison Blues, Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On, Hound Dog, and more.

The cast of actors portraying the four legends in this jukebox musical certainly hold the likeness to the original artists. Elvis Presley will be played by Jacob Barton; Johnny Cash will be played by Steven Lasiter; Jerry Lee Lewis will be played by Trevor Dorner; Carl Perkins will be played by Nathan Burke; Sam Phillips will be played by Sean Casey Flanagan; Brother Jay Perkins will be played by Justin Bendel; Fluke is played by Jon Rossi; and Dyanne will be played by Taylor Kraft.  

Million Dollar Quartet won a Tony® Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical and received two Tony® nominations, one for Best Musical and one for Best Book of a Musical (Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux). The show received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical, a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Musical Revue, and three Drama League nominations including Distinguished Production of a Musical and Distinguished Performance.

Million Dollar Quartet is written by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux. The show is directed by Tim Seib with musical direction by Jon Rossi and produced by Gershwin Entertainment. Lighting Design by Kirk Bookman, set design by Adam Koch and costume design by Jeffrey Meek.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655926807903.jpeg" alt="The Million Dollar Quartet. Photo courtesy Stiefel theatre" />
 <figcaption>The Million Dollar Quartet. Photo courtesy Stiefel theatre</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTThe Tony® Award-winning musical Million Dollar Quartet is coming to Salina's Stiefel Theatre. The performance is scheduled for 8 p.m. Sept. 9 in the Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe Avenue.Tickets start at $35 and go on sale at noon Friday. Buy online at www.stiefeltheatre.org, by visiting the Stiefel box office or by calling the Stiefel at 785-827-1998. The Stiefel box office is open for phone or walk-up sales from noon-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.Information about the musical courtesy the Stiefel TheatreOn Dec. 4, 1956, an auspicious twist of fate brought together four young musicians – Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley. Sam Phillips, the undisputed Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll who was responsible for launching the careers of each of these icons, gathered the four legendary singer/songwriters at the Sun Records studio in Memphis for the first and only time. The result? One of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll jam sessions in history. Million Dollar Quartet brings that unbelievable musical moment to life with an irresistible tale of broken promises, secrets, betrayal, humor, celebration, unforgettable performances of such timeless and enduring hits as Blue Suede Shoes, Fever, That’s All Right, Sixteen Tons, I Walk the Line, Great Balls of Fire, Folsom Prison Blues, Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On, Hound Dog, and more. The cast of actors portraying the four legends in this jukebox musical certainly hold the likeness to the original artists. Elvis Presley will be played by Jacob Barton; Johnny Cash will be played by Steven Lasiter; Jerry Lee Lewis will be played by Trevor Dorner; Carl Perkins will be played by Nathan Burke; Sam Phillips will be played by Sean Casey Flanagan; Brother Jay Perkins will be played by Justin Bendel; Fluke is played by Jon Rossi; and Dyanne will be played by Taylor Kraft. Million Dollar Quartet won a Tony® Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical and received two Tony® nominations, one for Best Musical and one for Best Book of a Musical (Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux). The show received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical, a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Musical Revue, and three Drama League nominations including Distinguished Production of a Musical and Distinguished Performance. Million Dollar Quartet is written by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux. The show is directed by Tim Seib with musical direction by Jon Rossi and produced by Gershwin Entertainment. Lighting Design by Kirk Bookman, set design by Adam Koch and costume design by Jeffrey Meek.

Stiefel announces performance of 'Million Dollar Quartet'

From the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/solomonfestival">Solomon Festival Facebook page</a>:

We are back to two days of events this year, so mark your calendars for July 15th &amp; 16th. Share with all your friends!

If you have any questions, comment on this post or message the Solomon Festival Facebook page and we’ll get back to you asap.

- Parade Entry Forms can be found at Bush’s Market.

- Volleyball Registration is due by July 9th. Email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:pdesormiers@usd393.net">pdesormiers@usd393.net</a>

- Festival Shirts &amp; Buttons will be available at Bush’s Market beginning the week of festival.

From the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/solomonfestival">Solomon Festival Facebook page</a>:We are back to two days of events this year, so mark your calendars for July 15th &amp; 16th. Share with all your friends!If you have any questions, comment on this post or message the Solomon Festival Facebook page and we’ll get back to you asap.- Parade Entry Forms can be found at Bush’s Market.- Volleyball Registration is due by July 9th. Email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:pdesormiers@usd393.net">pdesormiers@usd393.net</a>- Festival Shirts &amp; Buttons will be available at Bush’s Market beginning the week of festival.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655233041976.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
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Solomon Festival announces 2 days of events for 2022

NEW YORK (AP) — Sophie Allison's band Soccer Mommy is back with a third album, a wonderfully varied mix, from the industrial harshness of “Unholy Affliction” to the eerie “Following Eyes” to the airy “With U.” 

As the title suggests, “Sometimes, Forever,” is a push-and-pull of light and dark, happiness and sadness, both jumping from song to song but also within songs. She leaned into ’80s goth pop, like The Cure, The Smiths, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Siouxsie and the Banshees. 

Allison, one of Gen Z’s brightest voices, says she wanted to "play with both darkness and fun.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Sophie Allison's band Soccer Mommy is back with a third album, a wonderfully varied mix, from the industrial harshness of “Unholy Affliction” to the eerie “Following Eyes” to the airy “With U.” As the title suggests, “Sometimes, Forever,” is a push-and-pull of light and dark, happiness and sadness, both jumping from song to song but also within songs. She leaned into ’80s goth pop, like The Cure, The Smiths, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Siouxsie and the Banshees. Allison, one of Gen Z’s brightest voices, says she wanted to "play with both darkness and fun.”

Soccer Mommy's Sophie Allison plays with 'darkness and fun'

After a near-monthlong spring training at Kansas Wesleyan University, the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps will premiere its 2022 MMX show Thursday.

The performance is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday in KWU's Graves Family Sports Complex.

Tickets are $10 apiece for the general public. KWU faculty, staff, students, and alumni can get in free with preregistration. KWU faculty, staff, students, and alumni need to call the music department at 785-833-4528 to preregister for the event and must bring their campus ID to the gate Thursday evening.

Crossmen, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, competes as part of Drum Corps International. The corps has reached that organization’s finals 29 times in its 48-year history. 

The entire corps has been in residence on KWU’s campus since May 20.

The show will be livestreamed through the Crossmen’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CrossmenDBC">Facebook</a> and YouTube pages, as well.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655828647727.jpeg" alt="Members of the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps rehearse at Kansas Wesleyan on June 7.&nbsp;Photo courtesy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/CrossmenDBC">Crossmen Drum &amp; Bugle Corps Facebook page</a>" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps rehearse at Kansas Wesleyan on June 7.&nbsp;Photo courtesy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/CrossmenDBC">Crossmen Drum &amp; Bugle Corps Facebook page</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTAfter a near-monthlong spring training at Kansas Wesleyan University, the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps will premiere its 2022 MMX show Thursday.The performance is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday in KWU's Graves Family Sports Complex.Tickets are $10 apiece for the general public. KWU faculty, staff, students, and alumni can get in free with preregistration. KWU faculty, staff, students, and alumni need to call the music department at 785-833-4528 to preregister for the event and must bring their campus ID to the gate Thursday evening.Crossmen, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, competes as part of Drum Corps International. The corps has reached that organization’s finals 29 times in its 48-year history. The entire corps has been in residence on KWU’s campus since May 20.The show will be livestreamed through the Crossmen’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CrossmenDBC">Facebook</a> and YouTube pages, as well.

Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps performance Thursday in Salina

NEW YORK (AP) — America has perfected the stressful TV cooking competition. Amateur or professional chefs are pitted against each other in high-pressure, scream-filled shows like “Chopped,” “Cutthroat Kitchen” or “Top Chef.” 

PBS hopes to change that with an original food competition show, “The Great American Recipe.” 

It dispenses with the angst and scary knife graphics. 

It’s more like “The Great British Baking Show” than “Hell’s Kitchen.” 

The show gathers 10 home cooks from all over the country and gives them the opportunity to showcase their signature dishes in a gentle and supportive way. 

The eight-episode series premieres Friday on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video app.

NEW YORK (AP) — America has perfected the stressful TV cooking competition. Amateur or professional chefs are pitted against each other in high-pressure, scream-filled shows like “Chopped,” “Cutthroat Kitchen” or “Top Chef.” PBS hopes to change that with an original food competition show, “The Great American Recipe.” It dispenses with the angst and scary knife graphics. It’s more like “The Great British Baking Show” than “Hell’s Kitchen.” The show gathers 10 home cooks from all over the country and gives them the opportunity to showcase their signature dishes in a gentle and supportive way. The eight-episode series premieres Friday on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video app.

PBS joins food TV contests with 'The Great American Recipe'

The Rolling Stones will help celebrate their 60th anniversary with an upcoming four-part docuseries on EPIX that takes turns focusing on the band’s most iconic members, with in-depth portraits of singer Mick Jagger, guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, and the late drummer Charlie Watts. 

“My Life as a Rolling Stone” will premiere on Aug. 7. 

The Rolling Stones will help celebrate their 60th anniversary with an upcoming four-part docuseries on EPIX that takes turns focusing on the band’s most iconic members, with in-depth portraits of singer Mick Jagger, guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, and the late drummer Charlie Watts. “My Life as a Rolling Stone” will premiere on Aug. 7. It is directed by Oliver Murray and Clare Tavernor. The Rolling Stones are on the road with their 2022 European “Sixty” tour, but hit a wobble when Jagger tested positive for COVID-19, cancelling a few dates.